President Gitanas Nausėda signed on Thursday a decree granting Lithuanian citizenship to Allison Reed, a US-born ice dancer who currently competes for Lithuania with her partner Saulius Ambrulevičius.
Nausėda said in a press release that the pair has achieved impressive results in figure skating over the past seven years, with the highlight being their bronze medal at this year’s European Championships.
“By representing Lithuania, Reed is promoting the name of Lithuania in the world and contributing to the enhancement of our country’s authority in the international community,” he said.
Reed was granted citizenship following a recommendation from the Citizenship Commission.
Nausėda previously twice – in 2022 and 2023 – rejected Reed’s application, saying that she had not demonstrated outstanding merits to Lithuania, one of the requirements for getting citizenship by way of exception.
However, the president later said he would consider a new citizenship application “with a different mood” after Reed won bronze at this year’s European Figure Skating Championships with her Lithuanian dance partner Ambrulevičius.
Nausėda met with Reed on Monday before making the decision.
“I’m grateful that the president wanted to talk to me. It’s been a long journey to this moment, but now I’m very happy. I think it went very well,” the ice dancer told reporters after the meeting.
According to the president’s office, the National Olympic Committee, the Skating Federation, Canada’s embassy, and the chairwoman of the Lithuanian Canadian Community recommended that Reed be granted Lithuanian citizenship for special merits. Reed and Ambrulevičius currently live and train in Canada.
The recommendations also highlighted Reed’s involvement in the Lithuanian Canadian community’s activities, her ties to Lithuania, and her progress in learning Lithuanian.
Under the law, the president can grant Lithuanian citizenship by way of exception to foreign nationals or stateless persons who have “outstanding merits” to Lithuania and have integrated into its society.
The law defines outstanding merits as “any activities of a foreign citizen or a stateless person which significantly contribute to the consolidation of the statehood of the Republic of Lithuania, as well as to the strengthening of its power and authority in the international community”.
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